Vice president Ousainou Darboe said Gambia must have policies in place to protect its women folks since there are adequate laws to tackle gender base violence.
From 2014 to 2017, the Gambia has recorded 1,576 cases of gender base violence of which 647 (41) are sexual violence, said Haddy Mboge, network’s national coordinator.
The network collected the data of reported cases from Kanifing Hospital, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital, Social Welfare, police and Bansang Hospital.
She said the youngest victim whose case they have recorded was at 18 months. “This is just a portion of cases that happen out there… We are far from covering the whole country,” she said.
Mboge made the statement at Atlantic Hotel on Wednesday as Justice Ministry launch a new unit dedicated to fighting gender base violence.
Mboge was herself a school dropout who got married at the age of 12. After going through a difficult childhood, she then dedicated her life to fighting traditional practices affecting the growth of women.
The Unit comprises of 10 people from Justice Ministry, 2 from police prosecution unit, 1 from social welfare and 2 from police gender unit.
The Unit was launched by vice president Ousainou Darboe.
Darboe said though Gambia appears to have adequate laws in place to fight gender base violence, more stringent policies must follow to tackle the menace.
Other people who are present the launch are Sharon Wardle, British High Commissioner, deputy police inspector general of police Ebrima Bah and Justice minister Abubacarr Tambadou.
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